Olympian, 88, Continues To Make Splash

Answer Desk

September 27, 1995|By PATRICIA LINEBERRY and JEANNE PECK Daily Press

Q: Parade magazine recently featured Aileen Riggin Soule, 88, a champion swimmer, in its cover article. It noted that she was on the U.S. Olympic swim teams of 1920 and 1924. I would like to get in touch with her inasmuch as my uncle was also on the U.S. Olympic swim teams those years. I hope she will have some reminiscences of him. According to the article, she lives in Hawaii and is married to Howard Soule. Can you help me contact her? - L.T., Newport News

A: Eighty-eight-years-young, Aileen Riggin Soule should be an inspiration to us all.

The Olympic gold medalist continues to swim a quarter- to a half-mile every day for exercise, mostly in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of her hometown of Honolulu.

Currently a competitor in the 85-89 age group in World Masters swimming, Soule has set six world records in freestyle and backstroke sprints to add to her Olympic medal collection. She earned gold, silver and bronze Olympic medals in swimming and diving in the 1920s.

Soule has been invited to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta - as a guest of honor, of course.

Q: I have seen various papers or magazines put out by professional teams, most notably the Washington Redskins and Boston Celtics in this area. How can I get subscriptions to the magazines for other teams. In particular I am interested in the Oakland Raiders. - M.F., Hampton

A: The name of the magazine you want is Silver and Black Illustrated. For $39, you'll get 20 issues full of everything you ever wanted to know about the Raiders. Either write Dream Catcher Illustrated, P.O. Box 2744-705, Huntington Beach, Calif. 92647, or call the company at (714) 897-8775. You can pay by check or money order, or charge it by phone.

Q: I would like to know how to contact the Newport News city government's Channel 10 shown daily on Newport News Cablevision. Specifically, I would like to contact the station manger or program director. - D.B., Newport News

A: Butch Blanks, director of management and legislative services for the city, is the guy you need. He can be reached at 247-8487.

Q: Can you please give me the address of the Betty Ford clinic? J.G., Hampton

Former first lady Betty Ford, who overcame additions to prescription drugs and alcohol, founded the substance abuse hospital center in 1982.

ABLE WITH CABLE. Two weeks ago we asked readers to tell us where we could catch "The President's Weekly Radio Address," which President Clinton broadcasts every Saturday at 10:06 a.m. We couldn't find an area radio station that carries it, but thanks to J.A. of Newport News, we now have an answer. J.A. catches a taped version of the address every Saturday from 5:45 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the CSPAN cable television channel. So much for it being a radio address!